Professor Asha KanwarPresident & CEO, Commonwealth of Learning

Growing Capacities for Sustainable distance elearning provision

What is sustainable distance and elearning?

Distance and eLearning can

Enhance access and equity by reducing costs

Improve quality by providing world class resources

Provide flexible learning opportunities

Growing Capacitie

s

Learning for Development

Development: – as freedom

Freedom:– ‘to be and to do’

Capability approach: A. Sen

From outputs to outcomesFrom capacity to capabilityFrom skills or ‘functionings’ to the ability of exercise freedom

Learning develops Capability for

Personal autonomy/independence of thought

Paid WorkSocial relations/identity Walker, 2006; qtd in A Tait, 2011

‘Learning for Sustainable Development’

• Economic growth• Social inclusion• Environmental

conservation

Sustainable Development Goals

Goal 4

Quality education leading to effective learning outcomes

Skills for employment and entrepreneurship

Qualified teachers

Knowledge and skills for peace and global citizenship

‘Learning for Sustainable Development’

• Economic growth• Social inclusion• Environmental

conservation

Impact – 150% increase in income

Increasing food security

Every $1 invested in learning, facilitation and networking resulted in $9 worth of income and assets in India.

Empowering learners

“I left school in year 5 when I got married at the age of 12. I am now 22 and have 3 children. I went back to school so that I could help my children with their schoolwork.”

Ph

oto

cred

it to E

U H

um

anita

rian

Aid

and

Civ

il Pro

tectio

n C

C B

Y-SA

2.0

Classroom without walls

VUSSC Member States

First Graduation

First cohort graduate after following Diploma in Sustainable Agriculture, Samoa

WHAT CAN DISTANCE AND

ELEARNING INSTITUTIONS

DO?

Accelerate progress towards achieving Sustainable Development Goals?

What can we learn from OER and MOOCs to become more sustainable?

Should Sustainable Distance and elearning

OER: Open Universities

Now

Then

Industrial model

InstitutionalTeams

Learner as consumer

MOOCs: Open Universities

Then

National or provincial jurisdiction

Limited interaction at study centres

Print+ (audio, video, online)

Revisit the Philosophy of ‘Open-ness’

Open as to people

Open as to places

Open as to methods

Open as to ideas

Lord Crowther

Sustainable Distance and eLearning

Is deployed for sustainable development

Shifts the emphasis from capacity to capability

Empowers teachers and learners

Informal learning

Formal learningNon-

formal learning

Thank youwww.col.org